News – Page 15 – Astronomy Now

NASA, ESA target 18 December for long-awaited James Webb launch

8 September 2021 Astronomy Now

NASA and ESA are targeting 18 December for the long-awaited launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

After an initial failure, Perseverance collects Martian rock sample

6 September 2021 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover successfully captured its first rock sample from the floor of Jezero Crater after an initial failure.

In major milestone, James Webb Space Telescope testing complete

30 August 2021 Astronomy Now

Engineers have completed testing of the James Webb Space Telescope and are preparing the observatory for shipment to Kourou, French Guiana, for launch.

Fastest-moving asteroid flies closer to Sun than Mercury

23 August 2021 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have found an asteroid, or possibly an extinct comet, in a high-stress orbit carrying it closer to the Sun than any other body in the solar system.

A stunning vista from the Curiosity Mars rover captures changing environment

20 August 2021 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Curiosity rover beams back a stunning panorama from the slopes of Mount Sharp showing signs of transition between past and present environments.

Sodium jets may explain asteroid Phaethon’s comet-like brightening

17 August 2021 Astronomy Now

When does an asteroid behave like a comet? Perhaps when sub-surface sodium heats up and fizzes into space during a close pass by the Sun.

Ripples in innermost rings show Saturn’s ‘fuzzy’ core wobbles

16 August 2021 Astronomy Now

Ripples in Saturn’s innermost rings indicate the planet’s core is a thick “soup” of material that sloshes about slightly, creating detectable gravitational fluctuations.

Targeted rock, not Mars rover, to blame for failed sample collection try

12 August 2021 Astronomy Now

NASA engineers say the Perseverance Mars rover’s failed attempt collect a borehole sample was due to the nature of the targeted rock, not a problem with the rover.

Superflares may be less threatening than originally thought

11 August 2021 Astronomy Now

Superflares from red dwarf stars, long thought to be a threat to orbiting exoplanets, may not be as dangerous as previously thought, researchers say.

Dinosaur-killing impactor likely came from outer asteroid belt

9 August 2021 Astronomy Now

Modelling suggests the impactor believed to have triggered the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs likely originated in the outer asteroid belt.